Earlier in November I took a birding trip to the Bosque del Apache NWR which is located about an hour and a half south of Albuquerque, NM.  It’s one of my favorite birding areas and at this time of year features thousands of Snow geese and Sandhill cranes along with many other birds.  I was a little disappointed in the photographic opportunities this year but I really shouldn’t complain.

We saw at least seven or eight Greater roadrunners in the refuge…

The last stretch of road into the preserve travels through farmland with lots of meadowlarks both on the ground and on the fences.

I managed to catch this American kestrel at just the moment before it flew.

I believe that we saw this same American kestrel on the same fencepost on all three days we visited the preserve.

Sandhill cranes returning to spend the night in farm fields.  Many of the farm fields on the refuge are flooded, and the waterfowl and shorebirds spend the night in the water because the water provides early warning of coyotes and other predators that might compromise their safety during the night.